Day sinks in night: all nature shudders.
Then, in an instant, loose from every point
The storm, in frightful gusts and devilish uproar
Breaks; the axis of the globe grates fearful,--
And thunders, clap on clap, resound the concave:
The waves, din-maddened, tower to mountains.
Wildly, gone her helm, the half-crushed craft
Tumbles ungovernable. Now despairing shrieks
Mingling with ocean's roar and crash of heaven,
Rise from the peopled deck: 'tis finished!

Every movable thing on deck floated off, for besides the ever-rolling
billows, an immense rain fell in terrific water-spouts, accompanied by
thunder and lightning. It seemed as though all the elements had
conspired for our destruction. During the rolling of the ship, our masts
were carried away, and then all hope of salvation was gone. Now and then
a huge billow rolled over us, and carried with it one or two men far
beyond the ship. The storm raged more and more; no one cared longer for
the vessel: without helm, without masts, without captain and mates, who
had been washed overboard, the wreck lay at the pleasure of the waves.
Having floated thus for three days, a bauble for the storm, we finally
descried a mountainous land in the distance. While rejoicing in the hope
of soon reaching this haven, our vessel struck so hard against a blind
rock, that she was instantly dashed in pieces. In the confusion and
terror of the moment I got hold of a plank, and, careless for the rest,
thought only upon saving myself, so that even now I know nothing of the
fate of my companions. I was quickly driven forth by the billows; and
this was fortunate for me, for otherwise I should have been crushed
among the timbers of the ship or torn in pieces by the jagged rocks upon
which we had been cast, or escaping this should eventually have perished
from hunger and fatigue. I was wafted by the waves within a cape, where
the sea was calmer, and where the roaring of the excited ocean sounded
less frightfully. When I saw that I was near the shore, I began to
scream vigorously, hoping to call the inhabitants to my assistance. I
soon heard a sound on the seashore, and saw some of the natives come
from a wood near by; they got into a yawl and sailed towards me; this
boat being curiously fashioned of ozier and oak-branches twisted
together, I concluded that this people must be very wild and
uncultivated. I was heartily glad, when I found them to be men, for